Abstract

Today, information technology (IT) is universally regarded as an essential tool in enhancing the competitiveness of the economy of a country. There is consensus that IT has significant effects on the productivity of firms. These effects will only be realized if, and when, IT are widely spread and used. It is essential to understand the determinants of IT adoption. Consequently it is necessary to know the theoretical models. There are few reviews in the literature about the comparison of IT adoption models at the individual level, and to the best of our knowledge there are even fewer at the firm level. This review will fill this gap. In this study, we review theories for adoption models at the firm level used in information systems literature and discuss two prominent models: diffusion on innovation (DOI) theory, and the technology, organization, and environment (TOE) framework. The DOI found that individual characteristics, internal characteristics of organizational structure, and external characteristics of the organization are important antecedents to organizational innovativeness. The TOE framework identifies three aspects of an enterprise's context that influence the process by which it adopts and implements a technological innovation: technological context, organizational context, and environmental context. We made a thorough analysis of the TOE framework, analysing the studies that used only this theory and the studies that combine the TOE framework with other theories such as: DOI, institutional theory, and the Iacovou, Benbasat, and Dexter model. The institutional theory helps us to understand the factors that influence the adoption of interorganizational systems (IOSs); it postulates that mimetic, coercive, and normative institutional pressures existing in an institutionalized environment may influence the organization’s predisposition toward an IT‑based interorganizational system. The Iacovou, Benbasat, and Dexter model, analyses IOSs characteristics that influence firms to adopt IT innovations. It is based on three contexts: perceived benefits, organizational readiness, and external pressure. The analysis of these models takes into account the empirical literature, and the difference between independent and dependent variables. The paper also makes recommendations for future research.

Keywords: information technology, diffusion of innovations, DOI, theory, technology-organization-environment, TOE, framework, interorganizational systems, IOSs, institutional theory

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Journal Article

A Framework for Enhancing the Information Systems Innovation: Using Competitive Intelligence pp242-253

Phathutshedzo Nemutanzhela, Tiko Iyamu

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Abstract

Knowledge is used as a focal factor for competitive advantage, through effective and efficient performances by employees in many organisations. As a result, knowledgeable employees are expected to share their knowledge with others to increase innovation within the organisation. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Generally, employees behave differently within an organisation. The main challenge is that no organisation has total control of its employees behaviour and actions. The behaviour and action has impact on how information systems are deployed for innovation, in creating competitive advantage. As a result, many systems have been deployed by different organisations in attempt to address this challenge for the interest. Others have deployed competitive intelligence products and services. This is primarily intended to provide decision ‑ makers with information that can contribute to the innovative process in order to meet customer needs. For an organisation to survive, it must be able to innovate and market its innovations. Also, innovation creates uncertainty about its consequences in the mind of potential adopters. There exists a discrepancy between what customers perceive as their problems or needs and what organisations understand these problems to be. This study was conducted with the primary aim to understand the impact of Competitive Intelligence (CI) on Information systems (IS) innovation products and services in organisations. The case study research method was employed, using a financial organisation. The Innovation‑decision process, from the perspective of Diffusion of Innovation theory (DOI) was applied in the data analysis.

Keywords: competitive intelligence, CI, diffusion of innovation, DoI, Information systems, IS, innovation

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Journal Issue

Volume 14 Issue 1, ECIME 2010 Special Issue / Jan 2011 pp1‑166

Editor: Miguel de Castro Neto

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Editorial

Dr Miguel de Castro Neto is presently Associate Dean at the Instituto Superior de Estatística e Gestão de Informação of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ISEGI‑UNL), where he is Invited Assistant Professor. He is editor of the Journal of Information Technology in Agriculture (JITAg), member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Online Information Review journal, and Scientific Advisor of the Revista Brasileira de Agroinformática. Miguel de Castro Neto holds a PhD in Agronomic Engineering (Universidade Técnica de Lisboa) in the field of Internet‑based agricultural information systems, a Masters degree in Agricultural Economics (Universidade de Évora), a Masters degree extension in Statistics and Information Management (Universidade Nova de Lisboa) and a degree in Agricultural Engineering (Universidade de Évora).His research interests include Business Intelligence, Knowledge management and Social Computing.

Editorial

This special edition of the EJISE includes thirteen selected papers presented at the 4th European Conference on Information Management and Evaluation ‑ ECIME 2010 which were considered the most important contributions to the advances in the information systems evaluation field of study.

The conference was held at Instituto Superior de Estatística e Gestão from the Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ISEGI‑UNL), Lisbon, Portugal, and the broad topics proposed to be addressed by ECIME 2010 included: evaluation topics; management topics; e‑Government topics; new technologies, innovation and infrastructures; development topics; ethics and philosophy topics; and general topics.

These topics where covered by the presentation in the conference of 47 Papers, 4 PhD Research Papers, and 4 Work in Progress with participants coming from 25 different countries splitted in the following streams: Managing Information; Evaluation of Records and Documents; Business Intelligence; ICT issues as they specifically affect SMEs; Logistics, Supply Chain and Process Improvement; Performance assessment and measurement; Web Tools; Health Information Systems; Evaluation Issues; Health Information Systems Issues; Quality and Service Level; and IS professionals.

The 13 ECIME 2010 selected papers for publishing in this EJISE special issue cover a very wide range of interesting and up to date research areas giving us important insights and new perspectives in future developments in the field and I hope it can became an important contribution to the dynamics in the information systems evaluation research area.

Keywords: action research, adopter categories, adoption, adoption determinants, alliances, architectural principles, BAN, business architecture, business value, CDSS, COBIT, community, computing, consumer goods, decision-making, diffusion of innovations (DOI) theory, digital divide, disadvantaged networks, early warning scorecard, eCommerce, enterprise architecture, evidence-based protocols, factors, GDS (Global Data Synchronization), geobrowser, georeference, GIS (Geographical Information System), GLN (Global Location Numbering), global standards, GoogleEarth, GTIN (Global Trade Items Numbering), GUSI (Global Upstream Supply Initiative), health informatics and body area networks, health information management, hospital information systems, information alignment, information management, information quality, information quality, information systems, information systems architecture, information technology, institutional theory, integrated suppliers, interorganizational systems (IOSs), interpretiv

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